


Oh my sweet Darling dear

by OurLadyofPerpetualWallflowers



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: M/M, Pre-Movie, Pre-Slash If You Squint, arthur is not at all attracted to that, arthur's last name is a bit embarassing, eames is smarter than they give him credit for, eames of course can't leave it alone
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-11
Updated: 2018-11-11
Packaged: 2019-08-21 20:33:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 653
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16583672
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OurLadyofPerpetualWallflowers/pseuds/OurLadyofPerpetualWallflowers
Summary: For his part, Eames’ face went from guarded and confused to deeply confused to disbelieving to looking like a cat that had somehow taken human form and realized that it could exchange money for cream, canaries, and wild Alaskan salmon all at the same.Or, Eames stumbles upon Arthur’s most closely guarded secret and well, he’s Eames about it, naturally. Set pre-movie.





	Oh my sweet Darling dear

“Move your arse, darling.” Eames muttered in his ear as he slipped by and Arthur’s blood ran cold. That. That was not possible. There was no way a barely competent forger like Eames could have found out-but there was no mistaking the way his name sounded as it rumbled out in that lazy drawling clip of an accent. That settled it. As they pounded over the pavement, the mark’s subconscious gaining ground behind them, Arthur reconciled himself to the fact that as soon as the kick came and the others left, Eames had to die.

Getting the others to leave first was easy, Arthur busied himself with packing up the PASIV and Eames hung around like he always did after a job, resettling himself in his own skin. As soon as he stood and made for the door, Arthur was right behind, plan already in motion in his mind.

Arthur followed the broad shoulders as they pushed past the plastic curtain shielding the workroom from the hall and then, right as the door opened and the late afternoon sun broke through the dark and temporarily blinded them both, then Arthur moved, lunging forward with his knife on a path to plunge into Eames’ chest, between the fourth and fifth rib, into his heart.

Except as fast as he’d moved, Eames just as quickly dropped to his knees into a forward roll, the knife barely nicking his back as he changed direction, and Arthur was left staring down the barrel of the other’s gun, blinking in the daylight.

“Now now. I know you don’t particularly care for me, Arthur, but I am well aware of your skills in numerous areas and do actually try to stay fairly close to your good side. Care to share how I’ve failed in that?”

“How did you find out?” Arthur spat out, feinting to the left only for Eames’ gun to follow him as he dodged to the right.

“I know many things, most of which I’m not supposed to, I’m afraid you’re going to have to narrow it a bit, darling.”

“That! Right there! Who told you?” The knife lowered as Arthur took a step, breathing hard in anger.

Eames stared at him for a moment and then abruptly holstered his gun and took out a faded poker chip, rubbing his thumb around the edge before replacing it in his pocket. “Okay, Arthur? Arthur, I’m going to ask you to explain this entire situation to me as if I were a very small and slightly slow child because I honestly haven’t the slightest idea what the fuck you’re on about.”

Arthur gritted his teeth and got into Eames’ face, even as the knife dangled forgotten from his hand. “Who. Told you. My name?” 

The truth of the matter hit them both at the same moment, and later Arthur would wonder what his own face looked like as the knowledge dawned on him. 

For his part, Eames’ face went from guarded and confused to deeply confused to disbelieving to looking like a cat that had somehow taken human form and realized that it could exchange money for cream, canaries, and wild Alaskan salmon all at the same. Arthur groaned and stalked back towards the door only to be stopped by a muscled forearm around his waist tugging him back into a warm chest.

“Don’t worry.” The words were whispered against the back of his neck and he could feel the heat of a flush moving up his face. His hand tightened on the knife handle. “Your secret’s safe with me.” The arm released, the heat stepped back and footsteps retreated down the bricks towards the street. Just as they reached the sidewalk, there was a quiet murmur. “Until next time, Arthur Darling.”

Arthur very deliberately didn’t move until the sound of smug whistling faded from the air and then he quietly and calmly uttered a single word.

“Fuck.”

**Author's Note:**

> A desperately old work I'm just now posting. 
> 
> I just really love the idea of Arthur’s real name being Arthur Darling and Eames calling him Darling as a pet name but Arthur assuming he’s been discovered and then Eames just takes the utmost delight in driving Arthur crazy by calling him that whenever he can get away with it.


End file.
